Video: Using multiple artboards

One of the biggest new features added to CS4 is the ability to have multiple artboards in a single document. No, it doesn't mean that you don't need to use InDesign anymore. InDesign is a great application, which allows you to create long documents or documents that have multiple pages where text flows from page to page. But what Illustrator does excel at is the ability to create artboards, and that each of those artboards are different sizes. This allows you to really combine elements of an entire campaign all within a single file. For example, here I have a poster, a letterhead, an envelope, and a label all combined in a single document, which allows me to share these assets very easily between these elements.

Illustrator can be used to accomplish many different design tasks. For this reason, Illustrator CS4 Essential Training teaches core concepts and techniques that can be applied to any workflow for print, the web, or assets that will find their way into other applications. Mordy Golding explains the elements that make up vector graphics—paths, strokes, and fills—and shows how to use each of Illustrator's drawing tools. He demonstrates how to combine and clean up paths, and organize them into groups and layers. Mordy also covers text editing, working with color, expressive brush drawing, effects, and much more. Exercise files accompany the course.

Using multiple artboards

One of the biggest new features added to CS4 is the ability to have multipleartboards in a single document. No, it doesn't mean that you don't need to useInDesign anymore. InDesign is a great application, which allows you to createlong documents or documents that have multiple pages where text flows from pageto page. But what Illustrator does excel at is the ability to create artboards,and that each of those artboards are different sizes. This allows you to reallycombine elements of an entire campaign all within a single file.For example, here I have a poster, a letterhead, an envelope, and a label allcombined in a single document, which allows me to share these assets veryeasily between these elements.

First, let's take a look at how we actually create a multiple artboarddocument. I'm going to go to the File menu. I'm going to choose New. In the NewDocument dialog box I'll choose in this case here the Print New DocumentProfile, and I'll specify a number of artboards. Again, by default that's goingto be set to number 1, but I'll go ahead here and I'll change, let's say,let's specify four artboards.Now, remember, in Illustrator itself there is no really a concept of a page.In fact, it's just really one big canvas size that we have, which I'll show you ina moment. But basically I have the ability to specify different areas, what wecall artboards within that overall canvas.

So because each of these pages are not necessarily pages in a brochure, I don'thave page numbering features, for example, inside of Illustrator, but I coulddefine these very easily as a way for me to get some artwork started in my document.So for example, I'll specify here just four artboards. I could choose how thoseartboards are aligned on my overall canvas, and that could be set by, forexample, Grids by Row, by Column, or maybe just arranged in one row or in one column.In this case here for this one example I'll choose Arrange by Row. I'll leavethe default setting of 20 points; this is the amount of space that is added inbetween each of these artboards, remember again as they are aligned to thisoverall canvas.

I'll let the size be the Letter size page that I had as before, and I couldalso choose to assign a Bleed setting. Now, it's important to realize that inIllustrator, the Bleed setting applies to all the artboards. I can't have anindividual Bleed setting for different artboards, and I also can't have a Bleedsetting on one artboard but not on another. But for now I'm just going to leavethe Bleed setting set to zero; we will come back to that momentarily.I'll leave all the settings the same and I'll click on the OK button just sothat we get an idea of how these artboards are created inside of an Illustrator document.Now I have here one page or one document, and remember I said before there isthis concept of a canvas inside of Illustrator. If I zoom out really far, I'mjust holding down the Command+Minus, or Ctrl+Minus on Windows, you will seethat Illustrator has this large file over here. This is what's called mycanvas. This canvas is the maximum area that I can basically use in anyparticular document. Within this overall canvas I now have four artboards thatare defined, and I'll zoom back in again on this.

It's important to realize, by the way, that the artboards themselves, noticehow some of them are grayed out; these three are grayed out, but this one has alittle bit of a darker border around it, that's because Illustrator itselfstill has this concept of having really one artboard to work with. So at anyone time inside of my document one artboard is my active artboard and theothers are basically not active.Illustrator manages this process for you automatically. As I click on anartboard that artboard instantly becomes the active artboard. So it's notsomething that I have to be conscious about, just important to realize thatthere is this concept of Illustrator having an active artboard. By the way,this means also that when I choose Fit in Window, different zoom levels, theactive artboard is the artboard that fits in that particular window. Noticeagain if I choose on the bottom of the screen over here, a little pop-up I goto, let's say go to artboard number three, it will automatically choose to moveto artboard number three as well. I'll zoom back down here for a second. Youcan see that that's changed, that's right there.

In fact, to kind of go further over here, let's imagine if we already have adocument setup with these artboards but I want to somehow modify theseartboards, maybe I want to remove. Let's say I only need three pages, how do Idelete one of these artboards in my file? Or maybe I want to add anotherartboard, how do I do that?Well, you do that using the Artboard tool, which is now available here insideof the tools panel. I'll click on the Artboard tool and you will notice thateverything in the document becomes gray except for the artboards. The artboardthat is currently my active artboard is shown highlighted with a dash line.

Now, I can basically turn any other artboard to be that particular activeartboard just by clicking on it.You notice that the artboards are numbered; this one is called 01, 02, 03, and04. I have a little box over here, which if I click on actually deletes that artboard.So for example, if I didn't want this artboard, I can simply click on that andthat artboard disappears. These get renumbered automatically.Now if I want to add another artboard I can simply start clicking and draggingto create an artboard. Now remember, in Illustrator, artboards can be anydifferent size that I want. So I don't need to have, for example, one type ofsize. I could have Letter size artboards, I could have any other kind of sizeartboard; some could be Portrait, some could be Landscape. I could really havetall, thin, narrow artboards. It could be anything that I want to. In fact,there are certain examples that maybe when I'm doing let's say web ad banners,those may be of a variety different sizes, I can store all of those very easilywithin a single document.

Now, I'll go over here to the top of the bar. When you have the Artboard toolactive the Control panel shows you some options. For example, with one click ofa button I could change this artboard from Landscape to Portrait, and I can dothat of course by clicking on any of these as well.I also have the ability to click on this button here called Artboard Options,and I could specify exact sizes here for each of those artboards. I can type intheir values if I want to numerically.I could also choose to show the Video Safe Areas, Show Cross Hairs and a CenterMark, just to give me more feedback about that particular artboard. This isobviously far more useful in video workflows and in the art print workflows. Bythe way, I'll turn these off for now.

I'm going to click on the OK button to come out of that particular mode.Anytime I go ahead and I click on any other tool I'll automatically exit thisArtboard Edit mode, also another way to exit this Artboard Edit mode is simplyto tap the Esc key on your keyboard.Now, I'm going to switch over to a file that already has artwork defined insideof this document. I'm going to use this file here called multiple_artboards.You had this file available to you if you have access to the exercise files,you will find it inside of Chapter 02.Now, if I want to move this artwork around or make some adjustments with theseartboards, remember, anytime I click on any artwork or any piece within acertain area of an artboard that is the artboard that becomes the activeartboard. If I go over here to the Artboard tool, I can click on that, I nowenter this Artboard Edit mode, and now I have the ability to basically click onthis and move this around.

Notice by the way that the artwork that was on that particular artboard movesalong together with that particular artboard, and that happens because there isan option here on the Control panel called Move or Copy Artwork with theArtboard. I have the ability to uncheck that option, which basically allows meto move the artboard but leave the artwork behind.I'm going to press Undo to go back there, let's turn that option back on. It'simportant to realize if I want to make a complete copy, for example this label,I can hold down the Option key as I drag, and the same things that you willfind later on when we start working with shapes. If you hold down the Shift keyit constraints. I have the ability to make a complete duplicating copy of thatparticular artboard, including the artwork that was on it.

I'll go ahead and I'll tap the Escape key to exit Artboard Edit mode. And as you getfurther into Illustrator we will see more and more where this comes into play,but basically those are the basics of getting started using multiple artboardswithin a single document in Illustrator CS4.

Q: I cannot get the new brush dropdown to allow me to create either a New Scatter Brush or a New Art Brush; the only ones I can click on are New Calligraphic Brush and New Pattern Brush. When I go to Windows > Brush Library and choose New Brush, again the only ones I can click on are New Calligraphic Brush and New Pattern Brush. How do I make these work like they should?

A: In order to create a new Scatter or Art brush, you must first have artwork selected on the artboard.

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